


it's not chicago without you

by kittensuh



Series: love in ncity [3]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Chicago, Drabble, M/M, Phone Calls, SuperM - Freeform, Sweet, Tiny Angst, inspired by ig, long distance, not sad just angst, soft, under 1k
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 03:10:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21439246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittensuh/pseuds/kittensuh
Summary: chicago is johnny's promise, one he can't keep but hopes he'll have the chance to someday.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Series: love in ncity [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1490009
Comments: 9
Kudos: 69





	it's not chicago without you

**Author's Note:**

> thank you, ten, for the johnten crumbs of 2019 :')

johnny can’t lie and say he’s not a little choked up by the fact that so many of his closest friends are in chicago, in his home place without him. despite having gone with taeyong and mark just months prior, there was still jongin who he promised to one night in secrecy when they were still trainees for exo and yukhei who johnny told about all of the haunts in chicago that he would love. but it was ten who, above all, johnny wanted to take back home with him. 

ten who johnny lied awake with night after night telling him about home. 

ten who johnny swore to on endless pinky promises and wished on 11.11s and pennies in fountains for. 

ten who johnny called when doyoung and mark fell asleep and admitted he felt bad for wishing ten was there with him. 

what does choke up johnny, however, are the photographs he sees on ten’s instagram. 

“you look so dramatic, you know,” johnny says in a joking manner. he’s called ten every night while they’ve been abroad and tonight is no different. except, it kind of is. “like oh i’m looking at the candy bars and playing with my hair. who took those pictures for you?” 

ten laughs into the phone, his tone evidence of how tired he actually is. “yongie did. and i wasn’t trying to be dramatic! i was trying to remember the candy you told me about a while ago that you missed most.” ten sounds so sincere when he says it that johnny can’t just laugh it off. and when he tries to suppress a small sob from coming through, he realizes he hasn’t done a very good job at that. 

“they were chips ahoy. i remembered and then went on a treasure hunt for those,” ten says a bit quieter. when johnny laughs, it’s obvious how wet it is and johnny is half tempted to hang up the phone before ten can catch on, but he’s not that lucky. “why are you crying, john? i found the chips ahoy!” 

johnny can’t push back the laugh he lets out this time. “shut up, ten, oh my god.” he reaches up to wipe his eyes and take a deep breath. “i just- i should be there with you guys. with you. i always promised.” 

he realizes how selfish he sounds, really, but he can’t help it. he knows it’s out of his control and has always been, but he wishes so much more of their relationship was different, better. 

“oh, john, my big baby,” ten says tenderly. his voice is a gentle coo and johnny wishes he could hear it in person. “it’s not the same without you, but we’ll figure it out. next time, you can come help me find chips ahoy and take pictures of me.” 

johnny sputters at the other’s words, a dramatic gasp leaving his mouth. “ha ha ha, ten, you’re so funny.” on the other end, ten laughs with the same vigor. 

the silence falls upon them and for a second they’re just content to hear each other breathe. when ten sighs, johnny sits up expectantly and grabs the phone tighter. “seriously, johnny, one day it’ll be us out here. i see you in everything i do, ya know. especially here. i know it’s hard, but i love you so much, johnny, don’t ever forget that.” ten speaks with a sincerity he’s not particularly known for and johnny has to choke back more tears. 

“i love you, ten. i’ll take you to chicago, i promise, and i’ll show you all my favorite places and we’ll eat nothing but chips ahoy and i’ll take as many pictures of you as you want.” he knows it’s becoming harder and harder to really keep to what he says, but he’d do anything for ten, gladly. 

in seoul, it’s well into the afternoon while in chicago, johnny knows ten and his bandmates (their bandmates) are probably exhausted after such a long night. they talk aimlessly for a couple more minutes until ten’s words begin to slur and his sentences have a common pause between. 

“go to bed, ten, go curl up with mark for me,” johnny says softly. he smiles into the phone, full and genuine and so lively, as if ten can see it. he hopes the other can hear it. 

ten yawns once more, this one loud and strained. “i’ll call you tomorrow. i love you so much, darling,” ten says in whispers. there’s the sound of rustling bedsheets and johnny chuckles to himself, wonders if ten really will wrap himself around mark in the frigid chicago nights. 

yuta calls out to johnny and the elder pokes one finger up. “i love you, ten, i’m so proud of you. sleep tight, babe.” 

when the call clicks out, johnny can’t help but replay those soft three words in his head.

**Author's Note:**

> [twit](https://twitter.com/kitten_suh)   
[cc](https://curiouscat.me/kitten_suh)
> 
> i will take and savor my crumbs happily


End file.
